Ritual Essays & Research Papers

The Ritual of “The Lottery” It is often said that there is strength in numbers. While it is true that a large group of people has more power than an individual, a single person within a large group will almost always conform in some way. This weakens the individual and leads to fewer new ideas in order to maintain group status and agreement. Many times, rituals or ideas are allowed and accepted just because they are favored by a majority or have been part of that society for so long that they...

 Ritual Gifts: Inuit Culture and Aztec Culture The two cultures that will be discussed in this paper have many similarities as well as gift exchanges and rituals that are important to the people. Inuit Culture takes part in animal sacrifice, for feeding the people. Placing fresh water into the mouth of the dead seal before it is cut up to eat; in doing this the hopes of the people are that the seal will come back for more water and feed the humans again. As for the Aztec Culture they...

Museums as rituals Scott Cunningham, a writer, once said, “Rituals developed as a means of contacting and utilizing the energy within humans as well as in the nature world” (Ascension Gateway). This thought provoking quote could be used to spark the thinking of how rituals are practiced in our daily secular lives. Carol Duncan does a great job with showing how rituals are practiced in our secular lives; she uses museums to emphasize this point. Carol Duncan’s Civilizing Rituals:...

Jafet Mora Professor Ryder ENG101 2-October-2014 Quote of Summer Rituals “Yes, summer was rituals, each with its natural time and place. The ritual of lemonade or ice-tea making, the ritual of wine, shoes, or no shoes, and at last, swiftly following the others, with quiet dignity, the ritual of the front-porch swathing”. Why do I like this quote? I like it for really simple reasons, the first one is that in the whole text this one is the one easiest to...

Yahya Zakri Instructor: Jeff English; 1101 Date: April 30, 14 


Soccer Rituals Soccer is a team sport, played by toe teams competing to score goals in each other. Evry team should have eleven players, and seven players are stand by.Soccer is one of the most popular sports in the world. For me, it was a family hoppy because my father does play it and my entire uncle did. My brothers and I had been going with my dad and watch him play. I had the passion to play soccer because of them and I...

Introduction According to the traditional belief, religion cannot be practiced without the performance of rites and rituals. Rites and rituals are so much connected with the human life of the primitive peoples. However, rites and rituals are found not only among the primitive or tribal people, but very much among the other religions of the world. Therefore rites and rituals is a very vast subject to be discussed, here in the paper we will see some of the rites and rituals which are performed...

Cultural Anthropology Final Research Paper Dec. 15, 2012 Sports Rituals The only reason why your team won the last game was because you wore your lucky hat, and the only way they will win the next game is if you wear your lucky hat again. Is it perchance by magic? Have the gods conspired to make sure your team gets to the playoffs because you wore a particular hat? Of course! It wasn’t just any hat; it was your lucky hat! Rituals in sports are very common, and every fan holds their...

Fatih Elmali Body Ritual and Witchcraft Many native males and females from a highly developed culture in Nacirema engage in a body ritual almost daily, which involves from leaving their homes at various times in the morning or afternoon and engaging in activities that strain the body as well as the mind. This ritual usually encompasses males and females of ages 18 and older. In this strange place, the ritual is a requirement to keep their bodies as well as their families’ bodies...

The Isoma ritual is a corrective ritual used to remedy a woman’s inability to produce children, a condition commonly known as lufwisha, meaning “to give birth to a dead child” (16) as well as the “constant dying of children.” Lufwisha is thought to be caused by angry shades that inflict the condition upon the would-be mother, because she has forgotten direct ascendants as well as “the immediate progenetrices of their matrikin” (13). Isoma, therefore, is used so that the afflicted woman, being...

James Milner Mrs. Holding HRE3M1-11 24 September 2012 The Importance of Rituals and Ceremonies Aboriginal religion, like many other religions, is characterized by having a God or Gods that created people and the surrounding environment since the beginning of time. Aboriginal people are very religious and spiritual, but rather than worshiping a God they cannot see, each group believes in a number of different deities. These deities are often seen as a recognizable form such as a landscape...

 In the article “Body Ritual Among the Nacirema” by Horace Miner, he writes about a North American group known as the “Nacirema”, who were described by Professor Linton in the early twentieth century. In the article described, the “Nacirema” are a cultural group who seem to be obsessed with rituals they perform in regards to the human body on a day-to-day basis. These people believe that the human body is ugly and debilitating and are described to waste great portions of their days...

Georgina Morgan Discuss the role of ritual in the maintenance of social order. A ritual is a common practice within a particular society or a group of people. Most rituals are symbolic, either religious or associated with a certain tradition. These rituals are repeated over time and are mostly held at specific times of the year, during a certain period of weather or even after certain occurrences such as natural disaster, holidays, childbirth, weddings and even funerals. Lukes describes a...

Nacirema When I read Body Rituals Among the Nacirema by Horace Miner the first time, I couldn’t imagine how a culture could behave this way and live their daily lives following these rituals. They believed that their bodies were ugly and its natural tendency was to debility and disease. They devoted much of their time trying to prevent these characteristics After observing the Nacirema customs, I found it to be crazy that they had shrines with a box or chest built into the wall full of magic...

Professor Emma Linton of the Martian Institute of Interplanetary Cultural Anthropology might have come up with her unexpected conclusions regarding to the body rituals of the Nacirema people. Linton's report was wildly inaccurate written due to the facts that she does not have any qualitative previous knowledge about the culture and she like to draw a comparison between cultures. She did not follow all the methodological process an anthropologist should follow, and a long term of studying of the...

 Amanda Carson SOC 111 Writing Assignment #1 Summary of Miner’s “Body Ritual among the Nacirema” Abstract This paper is a summary of Horace Miner’s paper “Body Ritual among the Nacirema”. It talks about how every culture has a set of rituals they practice religiously, and in particular, the unusual rituals and beliefs of the Nacirema people from an outsider’s perspective. Amanda Carson Sociology 111 Writing Assignment #1 January 25, 2015 Summary of Horace Miner’s...

Chapter 4 Religion, Rituals, and Health Overview of Chapter Topics • Introduction: Religion, spirituality, and ritual • Religion in the U.S. • Religion and health behaviors – Effect of religion on health-related behaviors – Religion and health outcomes – Religion and medical decisions • Rituals in relation to health practices • Case Study: Cystic fibrosis in a Hasidic Jewish patient Religion, Spirituality, and Ritual • There is considerable overlap between religion and...

 “Body Ritual among the Nacirema” Horace Miner, an anthropologist of the nineteenth century, conducted a study on a local tribe known as Nacirema. According to his research their culture, like many others, is viewed as a strange way of life. He focused his studies on their religious belief, means of health, economics and overall way of life. During his research he found there are many vary surprising characteristics of the Nacirema culture. They have many different things they do in...

Piper’s Rituals: 1) When Anew girl arrived their tribe (white, black, latino) would help them settle in and street them through their arrival. If you were native American or “other” then a patchwork welcome comitte of the kindest most compassionate women from the dominant tribes. 2) Consequences of not learning rituals: being thought an idiot, getting on a prisoners, guard or counselors bad side, forced to clean bathrooms, eating last in line when everything edible is gone, going to SHU,...

A look back at “Salvation” by Langston Hughes Our story begins like many other stories with a setting, main character, and a catchy introduction. Like many other stories it attracts the reader’s attention with something vague, making the person reading the story want to continue on further into the piece. This reading is like many other’s which portray real life situations, and show a different culture coming from a first person point of view. In the story, the main character, Langston, is...

Wrap-up Why did Horace Miner write the article on the “Nacirema”? (That is, what point was he trying to make?) What do the “lessons” of the Nacirema reveal about the conflicts described in The Spirit Catches You? What did you learn from the assignment? Horace Miner writes this article to captivate his audience. Miner takes a full on anthropological approach in an attempt to expose his own American culture to their egocentrism, vanity, and narcissistic views that are presented throughout...

“Body Ritual Among the Nacirema” In Horace Miner’s essay on the tribe of Nacirema, it takes little effort to determine that Nacirema is a depiction of a typical American’s health habits. This essay is important for two reasons: It teaches principles about our own culture and it makes us assess the value/downfall of looking at other cultures with an etic approach. Without a doubt, this essay personalizes the study of cultures and its respective peoples. Regarding the view of North...

 Tohono O'odham Religion and Rituals December 02, 2013 Tohono O'odham Religion and Rituals Himdag is a Tohono O'odham word that translates to "way of life". The eight elements of religion are found throughout the Tohono O'odham past and present cultural beliefs. The Tohono O'odham believe that they were created by a God named I'itoi. I'itoi once created a people whom were known as the Hohokam or the ancient ones. The Hohokam turned on I'itoi and attempted to kill him four times. After the...

Connor Doyle Summary of Body Ritual among the Nacirema 10/20/2012 Introduction to Sociology The Nacirema Horace Miner depicted this cultural group located in Northwest America "living in the territory between the Canadian Cree, the Yaqui and Tarahumare of Mexico, and the Carib and Arawak of the Antilles" (Miner 503). Closely imitating the United States of America. If you take a look at the Nacirema's name spelled backwards, its American. The concept behind this is that Miner wanted to...

In Body Ritual Among the Nacirema, the writer writes about the extreme rituals that people hold in America. It brings out the idea that what they are doing is only to improve the looks which are actually unnecessary. Although the writer does not use the word America at all, we can tell from the content and the examples that it is reflecting the Americans. Actually, if the word “Nacirema” in the title reverses, it is America. He uses some events that may be trivial and happen in our every day...

“Body Rituals Among the Nacirema, “ by Horace Miner, is an essay written about the Nacirema, or American people, from an outsider’s perspective. Miner gives an insight on the Nacireman people, which he describes in his essay as an unknown tribe, and the completing of the Nacireman’s magical beliefs and practices, which involve daily, involuntary body rituals that cause much pain and discomfort. Miner shows how an outsider’s perspective can affect the way a culture is seen. In his essay, Miner...

January 26, 2013 Horace Minor applied satire in his article “Body Ritual among the Nacirema.” to the culture of the American people. Several ways in which “Body Ritual among the Nacirema” relate to the core concepts of sociology are through the use of sociological imagination, ethnocentrism and cultural relativism. The American culture is described by Minor in a very unique and humorous way. The author uses satire to examine the rituals that are every day in American culture. The reader...

Pandanggo is a Philippine folk dance which has become popular in the rural areas of the Philippines. The dance evolved from Fandango, a Spanish folk dance, which arrived in the Philippines during the Hispanic period. This dance, together with the Jota, became popular among the illustrados or the upper class and later adapted among the local communities. In the early 18th century, any dance that is considered jovial and lively was called Pandanggo. There are many versions of this dance and each...

-RITUAL IN INDIGENOUS SPIRITUALITY- Aboriginal Australians have been living in Australia for over 50,000 years. Aboriginal Australians have many important parts of their culture that have been passed on and lost during thousands of years of history. From the dream time and ancestral spirits, conservation of sacred lands, initiation, birthing, smoking and burial ceremonies. Practical and Ritual, Experiential and Emotional, Narrative, Doctrinal and Philosophical, Ethical and Legal, Social and...

 Horace Miner’s Body Ritual Among the Nacirema Elizabeth Brower Introduction to Sociology Matthew Howell January 25, 2015 Abstract: Horace Miner’s point throughout the entire article of “Body Ritual Among the Nacirema” was to prove to us, Americans, that we are not superior to anyone else or any other culture, society, or religion. We are all the same, and we just to need to keep in the back of our minds that everyone does everything differently. Whether it is a dramatic difference,...

Body Ritual in Nacirema When I started reading Miner’s “Body Rituals among the Nacirema” I wasn’t really ‘reading’ it. By the end of the first page, it “hit me” and I had to start reading it over again. Realizing the essay was speaking of Americans gave me a whole different perspective. I found some of it quite amusing as well as enlightening. My feeling is that the author intended the reader to see our own ethnocentrism and question our own acts towards others with whom we are not...

Brooklin Jefferies Body Ritual among the Nacirema In the Article, “Body Ritual among the Nacirema” anthropologist Horace Miner talks about a group of people known as Nacirema, or better yet, Americans. This article was to show how American’s are very ethnocentric. This is when we think our cultures are superior and everyone else is inferior. We find other cultures to be weird, but yet we’re not perfect. We think everything we do is perfect and better than everyone else. That is not the case...

Grief and Loss July 19, 2004 Comparative Analysis of Death Rituals All prominent cultures and religions in the world devote specific rites and rituals to their respective societies and faiths. Rites are acts of social, spiritual and religious origins and apply not only to ceremonies for the living, but to ceremonies for the dead as well. This paper will compare and contrast the rituals practiced by my Italian-American family with the rituals practiced by those of Muslim beliefs. My...

Rites and Festivals of the Pochury Tribe related to agriculture. Introduction: The Pochuries very life depends on his/her crop therefore most of his/her days are spend in the field. Work and religions in the life of the Pochury Nagas are interwoven with many religious ceremonies designed and performed to protect and increase his/her crop. In this paper we will look at some of the rites and festival of the Pochuries related to Agriculture. Rites and Festivals Associated to Agriculture:...

Read the Body Rituals of the Nacirema and answer the following questions. 1. What are 3 things these people believe? As the article states, The Nacirema believe that parents bewitch their own children and for that the doctor has the power to exorcise the devils that lodge in the heads of people who have been bewitched All natives believe they couldn’t live without many charms and magical potions They also believe that The Nacirema human body is ugly and that its natural tendency is to...

Celebrating birthdays became popular almost universally because birthdays give people a reason to gather in friendly groups, share food, and enjoy kinship. Birthday traditions are quite similar in some countries today, but not everyone celebrates in the same way. There are numerous traditions surrounding birthdays. Family history, culture, language and economic status are all details that affect the way a person observes the anniversary of their birth. Is there anything that a child loves more...

CHINESE MOURNING RITUALS In premodern China, the great majority of people held beliefs and observed practices related to death that they learned as members of families and villages, not as members of organized religions. Such beliefs and practices are often subsumed under the umbrella of "Chinese popular religion." Institutional forms of Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism, and other traditions contributed many beliefs and practices to popular religion in its local variants. These traditions,...

Beatrix Nicole Ongjoco ABMC – COMM2 Ritual and Transmission Views of Communication The author of the context was able to apply and use the ritual and transmission views of communication in his essay. He made use of the transmission view to prove his point and to further elaborate his point of view on principle one, which is the constitutive model of communication as metamodel. The ritual view was used because for principle one, the argument is that of a renewed concept of communication....

General Anthropology Body Ritual Among the Nacirema ` In this article anthropologist, Horace Miner writes about the depiction of the North American group called the Nacirema, described by a Professor Linton in the early 1900s. The Nacirema people were characterised as being obsessed with rituals about the vanity of the human body. There is a description of a shrine with medicines and magical materials placed inside. A daily ritual that is described is “scraping and lacerating the surface of...

Importance of Magic and Rituals as Inspiration in Art "Many secrets of art and nature are thought by the unlearned to be magical." (Roger Bacon) Prehistoric art can be several things, from little stone figurines to paintings on the walls of caves. The term “prehistoric” actually tells us that the culture that produced the artwork didn't have a written language. Prehistoric artwork can be found all over the world. A lot of artists and historians believe that at the core of each action to...

“Body Ritual Among the Nacirema” Summary In the essay “Body Ritual Among the Nacirema”, anthropologist Horace Miner depicts a group of people known as the “Nacirema”, but is referring to Americans, whose cultural beliefs are deeply rooted in the perspective that the human body is prune to sickness and disfiguration. Consequently, a substantial part of their lives is spent on unusual rituals and customs to improve conditions of the body that are filled with magical components. Moreover, Miner...

In a bureaucratic society, everybody is supposed to have a voice about what they like or dislike. However, some people may disagree that even though they are in a bureaucratic society, they still do not have a voice in many issues, such as the workplace. Theodore Roethke uses personification, long sentence structure, and formal diction in "Dolor" to show the anguish and loneliness of the everyday office routine in a bureaucratic society because it is as if the workers are the same, and have no...

Summary of “Body Ritual among the Nacirema” According to the article by Miner, there is a “present in some yet undescribed tribe” in the east America called the Nacirema. The Nacirema’s culture is a highly developed community and they spend a lot of time with ritual activities. They believe that ritual activities could change their bodies both physically and mentally. The first point that was highlighted in the article was the shrine. The shrine is a box that “kept the many charms and magical...

Burial Rituals of Native American Culture At some point in our lives, we all come to realize that death is a part of life. Cultural diversity provides a wide variety of lifestyles and traditions for each of the unique groups of people in our world. Within these different cultures, the rituals associated with death and burial can also be uniquely diverse. Many consider ritualistic traditions that differ from their own to be somewhat strange and often perceive them as unnatural. A prime...

Changes of Ritual Practices in Neolithic Levant Throughout Mesopotamian history humans found ways of relating to the world through the environment and supernatural entities. When we study the relationship Mesopotamians had with their world, we see a symbolic system of communication that developed from ideology and belief systems. These symbolic systems of communication can be called “rituals”, which were created differently in different areas and time periods, and which were always changing....

Sandra Bullard November 27, 2011 Body Ritual Among the Nacirema Dr. Chan Body Ritual Among the Nacirema The Nacirema are a North American group living in the territory between the Canadian Cree, the Yaqui and Tarahumare of Mexico and the Carib and Arawak of the Antilles. According to the Nacirema mythology, their nation was originated by a culture hero, Notgnihsaw, who otherwise known for two great fears of strength- the throwing of a piece of wampum across the river Pa-To-Mac and the...

"Rituals and ceremonies help define a culture. Without them, societies or groups of people have a diminished sense of who they are." The rituals and ceremonies that one finds in many societies today are largely relics of the past. They were born at a time when humans were still struggling to understand the awesome powers of nature, and thus, feared them. At first, they were no more than simple pagan rites that were performed to appease the sun god or the rain god. Later on, these rituals and...

Significance of Ritual in North American Indian Religion Submitted by: Dan Xxxxxxxx, November 12, 1996 Submitted to: Dr. John X. Xxxxxxx RELST 110.6.01 When scholars study religion, the tendency exists to focus on the mythological aspects of the religion in an attempt to understand the major underlying concepts present. However, an equally rewarding study often can be accomplished through the careful analysis of the religion's ritual aspects. This is especially true when studying North...

Miner’s article describes the Nacirema culture as one that pays special attention to economy, wealth, and body-focused rituals performed to keep oneself looking aesthetically pleasing, not unlike our own American culture. Found between Canada and Mexico, the people of the Nacirema tribe perform these rituals to keep death and disease at bay, while also improving the looks and social life of the worshipper. Common practices mentioned in the article include washing themselves with purified water,...

Reaction Paper In his article Body Rituals among the Nacirema, Miner effectively convinces his reader of the ridiculous nature of America’s obsession with the body’s health and visual appeal by allowing his readers to form an opinion about themselves without realizing they are their own subject. At first glance the reader may be convinced he is reading about magical beliefs and extreme practices of a little know civilization. Miner effectively employs an academic tone as he opens the paper...

The sacred ritual can be defined as symbols in the form of action in regards to the divine and revered. They include ceremonial acts and verbal expressions all carried out in a sacred perspective. They allow for the acknowledgment of transition in the human life cycle, as well as celebrate a fixed point in the yearly calendar. They serve to enhance the spirit of community and to bring cohesiveness to that society. By participating in these sacred rituals, it takes the focus of how individuals...

Durkheim’s account of the importance of rituals in modern society Durkheim’s theories on ritual are an integral part of his work on religion, outlined in his book ‘The Elementary Forms of Religious Life’. Rites are defined by Durkheim as ‘determined modes of action’ (Durkheim, 1915, pg. 36). They are ceremonies that are active expressions of particular beliefs or aspects of a religion. It is necessary to consider and assess the theories on religion before examining and assessing those on...

The anthropologist has become so familiar with the diversity of ways in which different people behave in similar situations that he is not apt to be surprised by even the most exotic customs. In fact, if all of the logically possible combinations of behavior have not been found somewhere in the world, he is apt to suspect that they must be present in some yet undescribed tribe. The point has, in fact, been expressed with respect to clan organization by Murdock (1949: 71).[2] In this light, the...

American Studies AMS 155 Sport Rituals: Rites of Passage, Calendric Rites, and Rites of Exchange and Communion I am a super huge basketball fan. During this time of the year, I will watch games of National Basketball Association (NBA) several times a week. I also suddenly become an active commenter in the online basketball forums, cybertalking about the dunks and three-pointers that I have never attempted and judge over trades that I could never have had a hand in from time to time. These...

In the article, “Body Ritual among the Nacirema,” author Horace Miner talks in detail about the culture of a North American clan, the Nacirema. Horace Miner seems to be particularly interested in the magical beliefs, practices, and rituals of the Nacirema clan. The “Body Ritual among the Nacirema” article shows many different examples of culture, cultural relativism, ethnocentrism, and qualitative research methodology. The sociological concept of culture is shown in nearly every paragraph of...

Chinese religion and strict cultural beliefs are inseparable from the death rites performed. Many different names for death are scattered throughout Chinese history, including an ideogram that depicts a person kneeling in front of their ancestor's bones 1. In Chinese culture, death rites are intricate and well thought out works on preparing one for the afterlife and rebirth. Chinese funeral rites have strict guidelines as to where the rites are to be performed, how the rites are performed...

‘Ritual is nothing more than a system of political domination’. Discuss using the work of Bloch. Key reading Bloch, M. 1989 ‘Symbol, song, and dance as features of traditional authority’ in Ritual, History and Power. Berg. Pp. 19-45. Bloch, M. 1986 Chapter 8 in From Blessing to Violence. Cambridge University Press. Further reading DISCUSSION THREAD Bourdillon, M.C.F. 1978 ‘Knowing the world or hiding it: a response to Maurice Bloch’ in Man (N.S) 13 (4): 591-599 Bloch, M. 1979....

Betwixt and Between: The Liminal Period in Rites de Passage The paper I’ll be discussing today is Betwixt and Between: The Liminal Period in Rites de Passage by Victor Turner. This paper analyses Arnold van Gennup’s Rites of passage with a particular focus on the liminal period and the symbolic themes that arise. Rights of passage are ritualistic ceremonies that mark a change from one state of life to another. Turner defines a state as a fixed and stable condition that receives social...

Plot introduction Written from the first person perspective, it is a narrative told by sixteen-year-old Frank Cauldhame, describing his childhood and all that remains of it. Frank observes many religious rituals of his own invention. As the novel develops, his brother's escape from a mental hospital and impending return lead on to a violent ending and a twist that undermines all that Frank believed about himself. Plot summary The 'Wasp Factory' of the title is a clock face salvaged from...

At first glance, it might seem that culturally-advanced and deep-thinking Americans have relatively little in common with the comparatively narcissistic, shallow, and primitive Nacirema, who carve out an existence somewhere between "the Canadian Cree, the Yaqui and Tarahumare of Mexico, and the Carab and the Awawak of the Antilles" ("Body Ritual among the Nacirema, p. 1). Who could even think to compare Americans, in our advanced state, with such a remote and isolated group? However, upon closer...

BODY RITUAL AMONG THE NACIREMA Horace Miner From Horace Miner, "Body Ritual among the Nacirema." Reproduced by permission of the American Anthropological Association from The American Anthropologist, vol. 58 (1956), pp. 503-507. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Most cultures exhibit a particular configuration or style. A single value or pat- tern of perceiving the world often leaves its stamp on several institutions in the society....

Zack Hess 12/18/12 Period 1 Body Rituals of The Nacirema * Miner is really talking about the American people when he says Nacerima. He talks about them as if they are some weird tribe of humans who are hard to understand and extremely complex in their behaviors and rituals. When Miner talks about the “shrine” and how rich people have more of them he is really talking about mirrors. “Incarcerated in such a body, man's only hope is to avert these characteristics through the use of...

Rite of Passage A Rite of Passage is something that everyone experiences in their lives at some point. Some may not recognize that they are going through it, but will affect them greatly. It could be a moment that is special or life changing. Anthropologists have found that across different cultures, rites of passage follow a three-stage process that can be said to be universally human, arising from the core of human nature to contact with Mother Nature. We call these stages severance,...

Krystyna Powell Lit 2010 12/04/2012 Outcomes of Rituals Rituals are a set of actions performed for a symbolic value, such as through sacrifices, traditions in communities, or to manipulate religious symbols. Rituals that are performed as traditions can be seen through the short story “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson. In this short story Jackson exemplifies the manner in which the meaning of a ritual can be forgotten while aspects of the ritual are still continued by becoming a civic duty to...

For my opinion, Traditional Hawaiian Religion would be orthoprax. The definition of orthoprax religion is to emphasize practice, or adherence to the law that probably fits the description of Traditional Hawaiian Religion. Religion was the paramount aspect of Hawaiian life, permeating every daily activity, every aspect of secular affairs, and every significant event, such as birth, marriage, death, house construction, fishing, agriculture, and war. Also ...

The diverse Indian societies of North America did share certain common characteristics. Their lives were steeped in religious ceremonies often directly related to farming and hunting. The world, they believed, was suffused with spiritual power and sacred spirits could be found in all kinds of living and inanimate things – animals, plants, trees, water, and wind. Religious ceremonies aimed to harness the aid of powerful supernatural forces to serve the interests of man. In some tribes, hunters...

Professor Dorothy Harris English 111 Paper #2 Culture Clash In the story “The Man to Send Rain Clouds”, I’ve learned that culture has a major contribution to the ways Native Americans lives revolve around their family traditions as they are passed down from one generation to the next. Also, I’ve learned that the Indians have faced outside influences from another culture and despite the differences of the two cultures they’ve came together during their ceremonial rituals. The Indians’...

The Mayans believed that the world was full of spirits and ghost, that every creation had an unseen power. A mountain can hold a deity and a rock a spirit, much like animism. It is to their belief that ghosts come out at night and spirits roam the jungle. To get in touch with the supernatural, such as the jaguar spirit or other transformations, the shaman (a priest who uses magic for certain purposes) would use hallucinogenic plants found in the jungle with a doobie. Mayans...

Analysis of a Ritual Justine Martin Anthropology 1130 Stein and Stein (2011) delineate ritual as a patterned, recurring sequence of behaviors. Also, Stein and Stein (2011) define ritual as an essential component of religious practise. It may be prescribed by the traditions of a community; not all rituals are religious. The term usually refers to actions which are stylized, excluding actions which are arbitrarily chosen by the performers. A ritual may be performed on specific...

Curiously, the Navajo peoples have no word in their language that can be directly translated to "religion", in the way we perceive it (Wyman 536). Rather, the term 'religion' refers to their world view. Anthropologists define religion as a set of attitudes, beliefs, and practices dealing with supernatural powers. The Navajo do not divide the secular from the holy; life and religion are one in the same. The Dine religion has a deep connection with the supernatural. Gods,...

SOCIAL INFLUENCES Cialdini’s 7 principles 1. Automaticity Consumers, in a low involvement situation, Behave in an automatic way, ‘mindlessly’ Heuristics (mental shortcuts) Prediction, for likelihood judgements Anchor-adjustment; adjusting according to a number given even if it has nothing to do with the prediction Persuasion, for attitude, beliefs Price-quality (naturally think higher price = better quality), advertized products and those with endorsements are of better quality...

Explain the relationship between the religion and its society Religion was part of all aspects of the Aztec society and was a great controlling force in Aztec daily life. Religion set out the guidelines for how the civilisation was established and how it would function up until the time of its fall. The Aztecs were extremely religious people with many beliefs and a variety of gods that they worshipped. Pleasing the gods was of high importance and often dominated daily routine. It was...

In review of the article “Body Ritual Among the Nacirema” by Horace Miner, this was a very satirical piece on how Native Americans had a very ritualistic approach towards many religious ceremonies and how they interacted with each other at these ceremonies. Horace Miner brought up very appalling view points about the native Americans. The way he worded his synopsis of his studies was very dark and oppressive. Almost making the foreigners to him seem animalistic. When in real life they were doing...

FUNCTIONS AND DYSFUNTIONS OF RELIGION 2 “A religion is a unified system of beliefs and practices relative to sacred things, that is to say, things set apart and forbidden—beliefs and practices which unite into one single moral community called a Church, all those who adhere to them” –Durkheim (Henslin, 2009, p. 374). When sociologists do research on religion they’re goal is not to prove that one religion is better than another nor is it their goal to prove or disprove anyone’s...

e Guthi System in Nepal Table of Contents 1. Introduction ...................................................................................................1 a) Background ...............................................................................................1 b) 1.2defination .....................................................................................2 c) 1.4 Objective of the Study...

 The world is filled with several different cultures with their unknown beliefs. Culture can be defined as complex system of values, traits, moral and customs shared by a society. Another word that shapes culture is its rituals, which is formed by different countries. Rituals are associated with religious observation and beliefs. Culture can be viewed as a different prospective. Many anthropologists found discoveries of many rituals among humans and animals that are being practiced today in...

Alex’s Rites of Passage There are many tasks people must accomplish in order to mature and help themselves as well as others in life. In The City of the Beasts, Alex goes on an expedition to the Amazon River, and he faces certain obstacles that help him become a better person. Alex’s rites of passage such as his trip to the Amazon, saving the chief, Mokarita, and the ritual with the people of the mist present themselves as challenges he must overcome in order to successfully complete...

Moxa Patel Nacirema Case Paper Managing Global Diversity – HRM 582 June 2, 2013 The Nacirema case study reminds us how cultural rituals were many years ago and how some of them are still existing today. The Nacirema tribe has many unconventional practices of how they live day to day. From the article “Body Ritual Among the Nacirema,” it is clear that they believe their bodies are not attractive and should not be presented in a promiscuous way. Professor Linton documented the North American...

Film Critique on Texas Tavola Texas Tavola is a short, anthropological film which focuses on how the religious culture of people who originate from Poggioreale, Sicily, still continues in Texas. It does this by giving insight into the spring festival Texas Tavola - an important religious time, when people hold altars in their homes in honor of St Joseph. It follows the build up and vigorous preparation, starting weeks before, women from the community come to help with baking. The actual day...

Confucius Confucius' life was of tremendous importance in the forming of Chinese culture. Confucius' plan and simple approach to life, revealed his deep seeded beliefs that through great human effort one can shape their own future. He had great faith in the ordinary man and believed that they are teachable and perfectible. Confucius believed that ordinary humans could be come awe-inspiring with wisdom and great knowledge. The quest to improve one's "self" became deeply rooted in the Confucian...

Shannon Akers English 104 Mr. Martin 1 April 2013 Analysis Going back to the Great Depression, over more than 70 years ago, consumerism has had its’ ties with religion. Millions of people were desperate because of the loss of their position in the work force as the same people were robbed of their whole life savings because of the stock market crash. The church membership began to decline as people saw no hopes for their social and economic life. According to Anthony Robinson in the...

Unit 2 theme 6 key concepts Religion – Religion is a system of symbols and rituals that form powerful beliefs, values, meanings, and practices in people about human existence in relationship to God Religious Symbols – Symbols used in a religious context reveal a link between humans and the sacred. Religious symbols make use of elements of the universe, vegetation, the earth, cedar branches, smoke, oil, water to figure immensity power, growth, birth, cleansing, communion. ...

Aboriginal spirituality is the belief that all objects are living and share the same soul or spirit that Aboriginals share. It is inextricably connected to the land which “owns” the Aboriginal people. No distinction is made between the secular and spiritual life. Aboriginal spirituality is a total way of life. The fundamental tenet that underpins Aboriginal spirituality is a concept known as the Dreaming. The Dreaming is a term referring to Aboriginal spiritual beliefs about origins of the...

The Drama of Existence: Myths and Rituals in Wole Soyinka’s Theatre Rosa Figueiredo, Polytecnic of Guarda, Portugal Abstract: The citation for Soyinka’s 1986 Nobel prize for literature reads: “Who in a wide cultural perspective and with poetic overtones, fashions the drama of existence”. The “wide cultural perspective” mentioned refers to the fact that Soyinka’s writings, especially the dramas for which he is best known, are at once deeply rooted in traditional African expressive and...

Part A My 500 word digital map cosisted of religion Hinduism or more percisely Vedisim, a segment of Hinduisim that revolved primarly around the mythic bersion of Vedas. The existence of Vedas dates back as far as 1500 BCE to 1000 BCE and until 600 BCE they were not codified. In my digital map i interviewed my uncle who had opened up a Temple here in Toronto, in 1979. I questioned him about the challenegs he faced, religious ceremonies that are held, and the items that are most commonly used in...

As Good As It Gets As Good As It Gets is a film about a man named Melvin Udall, played by Jack Nicholson, who has obsessive compulsive disorder. In the beginning of the film, his gay neighbor, Simon, is hospitalized after being robbed and brutally beaten in his own apartment, so Melvin (Jack Nicholson) is entrusted with Simon’s dog to care for. In addition, Carol, Melvin’s favorite waitress where he regularly eats, has to leave work to care for her sick son, throwing yet another curve ball...

In the everyday life of the perceived “normal” individual, rituals and rites performed by individuals as part of a different culture might seem harsh, cruel or even barbaric. After my first read of "Body Ritual among the Nacirema", that is how I perceived their daily way of life. They believe in magic potions, seeking pain from the “holy – mouth – men” a couple of times a year, and the men and women perform acts that seem to contradict one another by trying to obtain abnormal body shapes, and...

The Disturbance of Hazing In society today, being part of a sports team, club, fraternity and sorority’s, or organization is an extra-curricular choice that majority of us enjoy. Spending our free time taking part in what one relishes is reasonable. What happens though when they begin to get humiliated, and injured by just attending practices or meetings? That’s where this horrific topic of hazing comes in. Kimmel, writer of book Guyland, observes “bullying is about teaching you to...

The history of theatre charts the development of theatre over the past 2,500 years. While performative elements are present in every society, it is customary to acknowledge a distinction between theatre as an art form[->1] and entertainment and theatrical or performative elements in other activities. The history of theatre is primarily concerned with the origin and subsequent development of the theatre as an autonomous activity. Since classical Athens] in the 6th century BCE, vibrant traditions...

October 21, 2013 Mrs.Bohm Ceramics African masks The history of African masks can be traced back to Paleolithic times. These masks hold great importance in the African culture. In olden days, masks were used in many different ceremonies. These masks were made from metals, wood, fabric, etc. Their unique designs and most importantly, the idea behind making them has earned African masks an important place in famous art galleries around the world. Art history...

David and Bar-Tal’s look at collective identity by incorporating a micro and macro level of research. The first level tells us the individual process of identification; which is important with the surrounding society for molding of one. There are many aspects of identification such as cognitive, motivational, and emotional. Macro is the second level it defines collective identity in a diverse way such as, a situation in which people in society identify themselves as collective and they also know...

Numerous organizations, nowadays, use the rite of degradation as a means of control. Many deliberately worsen the situation when dissolving a removed employee¡¦s social identity and power in attempt to disseminate the importance of complying with organizational rules and culture. Nonetheless, this type of ceremony is often not an optimal solution to get rid of inappropriate behaviors. From what I have learned in the course, the rite of degradation is actually a beneficial ritual which is...

Archaeology - W. H. Auden The archaeologist's spade delves into dwellings vacancied long ago, unearthing evidence of life-ways no one would dream of leading now, concerning which he has not much to say that he can prove: the lucky man! Knowledge may have its purposes, but guessing is always more fun than knowing. We do know that Man, from fear or affection, has always graved His dead. What disastered a city, volcanic effusion, fluvial outrage, or a human horde,...

The Freshman Pledge Rushing day is coming up, all the sororities are recruiting freshman to join them. Girls’ minds are filled with the rumors they have heard and the things on T.V., who wouldn’t want to be in one? But what most rushing freshman don’t know is that sororities are not as crazy as they seem. One does not just simply join a sorority, they are recruited. Recruitment is the biggest thing about the sorority; it is the decision for whether or not you can be “sister material.” Every...

Khasi tribe is mainly found in the sate of Assam and the Khasi Jaintia hills in Meghalaya and in the states of Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Manipur, West Bengal and Jammu and Kashmir.Earlier the Khasis had their own kingdom, until the Britishers exercised control over them. The word Khasi find mention in the Shankradeva's 'Baghavata Purana', an Indo Aryan literature. The Khasi are an endogamous tribe who are divided into exogamous clans which are again subdivided into exogamous matrilocal...

The Comparison between “Lang and Bedwart rituals among the Baddi” and “Pandava lila” Zuofu He Instruction: In this article, I will firstly demonstrate the main character of “Buddi” and “Pandav lila”, and combine the listening example and reading article, to analyze the difference of music feature and function in these two ritual activities. Pandavlila: The Pandav lila is a ritual activity to ceremony the Pandava, who lived in the Mahabharata. It is performed during mainly the...

Do you see any similarities between the rituals of primitive societies and rituals that we have in today's society? Society today does use dance in religious ceremonies or occasions but not necessarily in a ritualistic form that earlier primitive societies would use per say. However, dance in both today and past societies used basic, everyday motions and movements to form dances, where some of these dance practices are still used even today. How might one's moral, religious and ethical...